Mechanical toy



Patented Dec. 14, 1926.

unrrsn sr TES- JOHN G. SVAINAZ, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

MECHANICAL r01 Application, filed Itebr nary 20. 1926.

My invention relates to toys and more particularly to a type of ridingtoy known as a.

scooter.

The primary object of my invention is to 5 provide an improved scooterwhich may be mechanically driven, that is driven without applying onefoot to the ground as is necessary with those in common use.

A further object is to provide an improved scooter equipped with drivingmeans and retarding means arranged so that a rider may use one foot tocontrol the speed thereof while standing on the other foot.

A further object is to provide a scooter of the character describedwhich is simple and inexpensive in construction and which at the sametime is durable and efficient as a riding toy for children.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter and while Idisclose herein a prefer-ed form of construction, I desire to beunderstood that I do not limit my invention to such form but thatvarious changes and adaptations may be made therein without departingfrom the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawings which accompany this specification and form apart thereof:

Fig. 1, is a plan view of a simple form of 30 my improved scooter.

Fig. 2, is a right side view of the scooter shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, is a front-end view of same. Fig. 4, is an enlarged rear-endview of same.

Considered more in detail, the scooter consists of a platform 10 mountedon two wheels 11 and 12, in longitudinal alignment under the middlethereof. The rear wheel 11, which is the drive wheel, is loosely mountedon a transverse shaft 13 having its ends journaled in bearing blocks 14fixed, on the under side of platform 10, said shaft being bent to form acrank 15 between wheel 11 and one of the bearing blocks 14. The frontwheel 12 is mounted in a fork 16 which has a shaft 17 extending upwardlythrough a bearing 18 fixedon the front end of platform 10.

in handles 20, fixed on its upper end by which it may be turned to swingfront wheel 12, the steering wheel, to the right or left. A wide slot 21is cut in the rear end of platform 10, in vertical alignment with rearwheel 11 and crank 15, and the diameter of Shaft 17 has a. cross-bar 19,terminating Serial No. 89,530.

wheel 11 is such that its upper edge projects through this slot slightlyabove the level of platform 10, as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 4.

Rear wheel 11 is equipped with a hub 22 adapted to turn onshaft- 13.()ne end of hub. 22 is made smooth so that it turns freely against acollar 23 fixed on shaft 13. The other end is notched to, form beveledteeth 24; adapted to engage con'iplementary teeth 25 on a clutch member26 splinedon shaft 13. Clutch member 26 is held in engagement with hub22 by a compressed helical spring 27 on shaft 13,. the spring being ofsufficient strength to insure the engagement ofthe hub. teeth by theclutch teeth when the shaft is turned and yet weak enough to yield andpermitsaid hub teeth to slip on said clutch teeth so freely that thewheel may turn forwardly without undue friction when the shaft is atrest.

Shaft 13 is driven by a spring treadle 28 extending longitudinally aboveplatform 10 with its forward end fixed rigidly to a spacing-bl-ock 30attached to the front end thereof. The rearward end of treadle 28 isslightly tapered and is bent downwardly through slot 21 in a reflexcurve 31 toward shaft 13, its extreme end being bent into a loop 32which embraces crank 15 and forms a hearing in which the crank turns.

The scooter as shown is designed to be driven by the left foot of arider and is operated as follows:

The rider stands with his right foot on platform 10 grasping handles '20with both hands and after giving the scooter an initial forward movementwith his left foot, applies it to treadle 28-slightly forward of itscurved end 31. Successive downward pressures of the foot on the treadle,corresponding in time to the downward movements of crank 15, givesuccessive turning impulses to shaft 13 which are communicated todrive-wheel 11 through clutch member 26 and the scooter is drivenforward with increasing speed. When sufficient speed has been acquiredthe scooter may be allowed to coast, shaft 13 being held at rest bytreadle 28 while drivewheel 11 turns freely thereon. While coasting thefoot may be removed from the treadle and when the rider wishes to stopthe scooter he may do so by applying one foot to the top of drive-wheel11 to serve as a brake. Scooters arranged for driving with the rightfoot may be made by reversing the positions of some of the parts, as isevident.

Having thus illustrated and described my invention, I claim:

1. A scooter comprising a platform mounted on two wheels, a front wheeland a rear wheel, arranged ,in longitudinal alignment thereunder, atransverse shaft journaled in bearing blocks under the rear end of saidplatform, said rear wheel being loosely mounted on the middle of saidtransverse shaft, a crank formed on said shaft between said rear wheeland one of said bearing blocks, a spring-controlled clutch membersplined on said shaft between said rear wheel and the other of saidbearing blocks, said clutch member being adapted to engage the hub ofsaid rear wheel, a spring treadle extending longitudinally of saidplatform with its rearward end attached to said crank, a swiveled forkattached to the front end of said platform, the pivot-pin of said frontwheel being journaled in said fork, a vertical shaft extending upwardlyfrom said fork and a handle-bar attached to the upper end of saidvertical shaft whereby it may be turned to the right or left.

2. A mechanically driven scooter comprising a platform, a transverseshaft journaled in bearing blocks under the rear end of said platform, arear wheel loosely mounted on the middle of said transverse shaft, acrank formed on said transverse shaft between said rear wheel and one ofsaid bearing blocks, a spring-controlled clutch member splined on saidtransverse shaft between said rear wheel and the other of said bearingblocks,

said clutch member being adapted to interlock with the hub of said rearwheel when said transverse shaft is turned forwardly, a spring treadleextending above said platform with its forward end fixed to the frontend thereof and its rearward end bent into a bearing which embraces saidcrank, a swiveled fork attached to the front end of said platform, afront wheel pivoted in said fork in longitudinal alignment with saidrear wheel, a vertical shaft extending upwardly from said fork and ahandle-bar fixed to the upper end of said vertical shaft whereby it maybe turned to the right or left.

JOHN G. SVAINAZ.

